*This article contains references and links to websites about animal trafficking.
Social media is expansive and allows for anonymity; a perfect combination for illegal animal trade. Especially on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, animal traffickers and illegal breeders organize deals with smugglers and unaware civilian buyers alike. These practices are currently booming due to the increased demand of exotic animals (such as sea turtles, parrots or big cats), special breeds (such as pure-bred dogs), as well as very low-cost animals (such as selling cats for ridiculously low prices to provide meat for other animals). While no animal trade is supposed to occur on any social media account, there is no doubt that social media has greatly contributed to extinctions and declines of wildlife.
Here is where you come in; since social media is widely available, there are many things we can do to help protect animals online:
- Report and do not support products that seem to be made of exotic animals such as ivory from elephants and rhinos, leather from tortoises and pangolins, or marine turtle shells. You can report wildlife trade at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Report and refuse to buy, like, share or comment on pictures of monkeys wearing clothes or smiling. Why? Normal monkey behavior does not include wearing clothes or “smiling”; in fact, monkey smiles are actually called fear grimaces, as monkeys use this to display subordination to an aggressive or potentially threatening individual.
- Report accounts that seem to be selling dogs (they may show a picture of a litter of puppies in an enclosure, or list an extravagant price for a normal item (such as a cage) but show multiple pictures of a dog or a litter. Visit the Humane Society for more tips and advice.